Aman Goyal
Catherine Hardwicke’s love for literary adaptations has not waned! The Cinemaholic has learned that the filmmaker will direct ‘If You Could See Me Now’ based on Cecelia Ahern’s 2005 novel of the same name. The shooting of the feature film will start in April 2025 in Oregon. Catherine Cort is behind the adapted screenplay.
The plot follows the mundane life of Elizabeth Egan, a successful interior designer living in a small town. Her life is meticulously organized, with everything from her coffee mugs to her design business perfectly in order, serving as a shield against the emotional pain she has endured in the past. As a reluctant guardian to her six-year-old nephew, Luke, Elizabeth’s days are consumed with balancing her demanding job and her responsibilities at home, leaving little room for enjoyment or spontaneity in her life.
The narrative takes a turn when Luke’s mysterious new grown-up friend, Ivan, enters Elizabeth’s life. Unlike her, he is carefree, adventurous, and full of life. His presence begins to disrupt the interior designer’s well-ordered world, introducing chaos but also joy. As Elizabeth starts to let her guard down and trust Ivan, it turns out that Ivan is not who she thought he was at all.
Hardwicke’s recent directorial efforts include Kate Beckinsale’s ‘Prisoner’s Daughter’ and Toni Collette’s ‘Mafia Mamma.’ She also served as an executive producer on Olivia Wilde’s ‘Don’t Worry Darling.’ Having first garnered attention with her acclaimed debut film ‘Thirteen,’ the filmmaker solidified her reputation with the iconic romantic fantasy movie ‘Twilight,’ an adaptation of Stephenie Meyer’s globally renowned novel of the same name.
Before becoming a director, Hardwicke served as a production designer from the late 1980s to the early 2000s, working on notable films like Tom Cruise’s romantic thriller ‘Vanilla Sky.’ More recently, she directed an episode of the Hulu miniseries ‘Under the Bridge‘ and contributed to the anthology series ‘Guillermo del Toro’s Cabinet of Curiosities.’ The filmmaker is also set to direct the pilot episode of the upcoming show ‘The Raven Cycle’ and has two feature films, ‘Heathen’ and ‘A French Pursuit,’ currently in pre-production.
‘If You Could See Me Now’ marks another adaptation of Ahern’s works. Her most popular novel ‘P.S. I Love You’ was adapted to the screen by Richard LaGravenese with Hilary Swank and Gerard Butler in the lead roles. Christian Ditter collaborated with screenwriter Juliette Towhidi to turn ‘Where Rainbows End’ into ‘Love, Rosie,’ starring Lily Collins, as well. The Irish novelist’s short story collection ‘Roar’ was recently turned into an Apple TV+ anthology series of the same name. Additionally, Ahern has also worked in the industry closely, having co-created ABC’s ‘Samantha Who?’ back in 2007.
Oregon is a popular filming location on the Pacific Northwest coast. The state has hosted the production of numerous iconic films in the past, including Jack Nicholson’s ‘One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest‘ and ‘The Shining,’ as well as contemporary movies like ‘Knock at the Cabin‘ and ’65.’ Hardwicke is no stranger to the region as she had directed ‘Twilight‘ in Portland and other nearby places.
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